


Cat-tales

by asterismal (asterisms)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:48:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23761081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asterisms/pseuds/asterismal
Summary: Harry brings home a cat.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Tom Riddle
Comments: 14
Kudos: 611
Collections: Corona Challenge





	Cat-tales

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [IvoryRaven](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IvoryRaven/pseuds/IvoryRaven) in the [CoronaChallenge](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/CoronaChallenge) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> Harry brings home a cat.
> 
> Tom tries to hate it. He really does.
> 
> ...but Harry's got such gorgeous green eyes, and so does the cat.

“Harry!” Tom calls. When Harry appears in the doorway to the kitchen, Tom gestures to the little beast currently chewing on one of their couch cushions. “What the hell is this?” 

Harry raises an eyebrow, obviously questioning his intelligence. “It’s a cat, Tom.” 

Tom sighs heavily. “Whose cat?”

Harry bites at his bottom lip. “Erm… Well…” 

“No,” Tom says. 

“Tom!" Harry protests. "You don't even know what I was about to say!”

“Let me guess,” Tom begins. “You were on your way home when you found this… this _creature,_ looking all pathetic and abandoned on the street, and you just couldn't help yourself.” 

Harry frowns at him. “You know,” he says, “that was actually very accurate.” 

Tom rolls his eyes, striding over to Harry and pressing a kiss to his cheek in hello. “I know you, darling.” 

Harry perks up at the kiss. 

He grins up at him, looking hopeful. “So?”

“Still no.”

Harry groans, ducking under his arm and heading over to the couch. “But look!” he says as he grabs the kitten and holds it up to his face, turning it so both Harry and the kitten are looking at Tom with wide, green eyes. “It’s so cute, Tom!” 

And Tom does, in fact, have a spine, for all that Abraxas likes to insinuate otherwise. He’s going to say no. 

He _should_ say no. 

He sighs. “Fine.” 

For the most part, the kitten really isn’t so bad. 

Harry is more than happy to clean up after her, and even Tom can admit to some positive feelings when the little thing purrs beneath his hand. 

There is, however, one glaring issue—he’s forced to share Harry’s attention. Worst of all, the cat is winning, as she gets to keep Harry company when Tom is away for work, and she knows it. 

When he complains of this to Harry one day, Harry only laughs at him.

“She’s a cat, Tom,” Harry tells him, sounding equal parts exasperated and fond. “It’s not like she’s out to get you.” 

Tom remains unconvinced. 

“You’re a monster,” Tom says to the kitten one day after Harry steps out to buy groceries. “A little fiend who’s out to steal Harry away from me.”

The kitten mewls at him, and Tom picks her up, lifting her so they're eye to eye. 

He narrows his eyes. “You can’t win me over by being cute.” 

As if in response, the kitten blinks at him, and her large, green eyes really do look just like Harry’s... She mewls again, and Tom feels so wretchedly soft that he feels the need to take a shower just to wash the warm, fuzzy feelings away. 

“Disgusting,” he says. “Fine, you win. As long as you remember that I was here first.” 

The kitten begins to purr, her eyes squinting shut as she bats at Tom’s chin with one tiny paw. 

“Excellent,” Tom says, carrying her over to the couch where he settles her into his lap. “I’m glad we have an accord.”


End file.
